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Combined Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Medial Collateral Ligament Knee Injuries: Anatomy, Diagnosis, Management Recommendations, and Return to Sport

  • ACL: Risk Factors, Outcomes, Preventions (R Gallo, Section Editor)
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Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

The diagnosis and management of combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries have been a controversial topic for several decades. No single approach has proven optimal for treatment and there is no consensus between most specialists. This review seeks to describe and clarify the current state and the future of management.

Recent findings

Most authors agree on reconstructing of the ACL with non-operative management of the MCL in grade I and II injuries, respectively. However, controversy still exists about the optimal method of treating a combined ACL with higher grade MCL injuries.

Summary

Management should be customized based on acuity, injury grade, and specific goals for each patient. Future research with clinical outcomes may facilitate creating guidelines to optimize recovery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg Hospital, 111 S Front St, Harrisburg, PA, 17101, USA

    Joshua L. Elkin & Edgar Zamora

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, Bone and Joint Institute, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 30 Hope Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA

    Joshua L. Elkin & Robert A. Gallo

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Correspondence to Robert A. Gallo.

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Conflict of Interest

Joshua L. Elkin, Edgar Zamora, and Robert A. Gallo have not received (or agreed to receive) from a commercial entity something of value (exceeding the equivalent of US$500) related in any way to this manuscript.

Robert A. Gallo received institutional research support from Aesculap for a novel cartilage scaffold trial. Dr. Gallo is a section editor for Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on ACL: Risk Factors, Outcomes, Preventions

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Elkin, J.L., Zamora, E. & Gallo, R.A. Combined Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Medial Collateral Ligament Knee Injuries: Anatomy, Diagnosis, Management Recommendations, and Return to Sport. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 12, 239–244 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-019-09549-3

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